Population ages 65 and above in China
China: Population ages 65 and above was 14.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population ages 65 and above in China, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
In 2025, population ages 65 and above in China stood at 14.9%. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 48.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population ages 65 and above in China peaked at 14.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 3.6%, in 1966.
China ranks 68th of 218 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population ages 65 and above in China, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4.0% | — |
| 1961 | 3.9% | -2.1% |
| 1962 | 3.8% | -1.5% |
| 1963 | 3.8% | -1.8% |
| 1964 | 3.7% | -1.8% |
| 1965 | 3.6% | -1.1% |
| 1966 | 3.6% | -0.4% |
| 1967 | 3.6% | +0.3% |
| 1968 | 3.7% | +0.5% |
| 1969 | 3.7% | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 3.7% | +0.7% |
| 1971 | 3.7% | +0.8% |
| 1972 | 3.8% | +0.9% |
| 1973 | 3.8% | +1.2% |
| 1974 | 3.9% | +1.7% |
| 1975 | 4.0% | +1.8% |
| 1976 | 4.0% | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 4.1% | +1.7% |
| 1978 | 4.2% | +2.3% |
| 1979 | 4.3% | +2.6% |
| 1980 | 4.4% | +2.5% |
| 1981 | 4.5% | +2.2% |
| 1982 | 4.6% | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 4.7% | +1.8% |
| 1984 | 4.7% | +1.9% |
| 1985 | 4.8% | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 4.9% | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 5.0% | +1.8% |
| 1988 | 5.1% | +1.8% |
| 1989 | 5.2% | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 5.3% | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 5.5% | +2.0% |
| 1992 | 5.6% | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 5.7% | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 5.9% | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 6.1% | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 6.2% | +2.8% |
| 1997 | 6.4% | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 6.6% | +3.2% |
| 1999 | 6.8% | +3.2% |
| 2000 | 7.0% | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 7.2% | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 7.4% | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 7.6% | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 7.7% | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 7.9% | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 8.1% | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 8.2% | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 8.4% | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 8.5% | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 8.7% | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 8.9% | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 9.1% | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 9.4% | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 9.7% | +3.3% |
| 2015 | 10.1% | +4.0% |
| 2016 | 10.5% | +4.4% |
| 2017 | 11.0% | +4.7% |
| 2018 | 11.5% | +4.9% |
| 2019 | 12.1% | +4.7% |
| 2020 | 12.6% | +4.8% |
| 2021 | 13.2% | +4.4% |
| 2022 | 13.8% | +4.4% |
| 2023 | 14.3% | +3.9% |
| 2024 | 14.7% | +2.4% |
| 2025 | 14.9% | +1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.7% | 3.6% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.9% | 3.7% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.8% | 4.4% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.0% | 5.3% | 6.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.8% | 7.0% | 8.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.1% | 8.7% | 12.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.9% | 12.6% | 14.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
- 65 Luxembourg 15.8% compare
- 66 Macau, China 15.1% compare
- 67 Cyprus 14.9% compare
- 69 Chile 14.6% compare
- 70 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 14.5% compare
- 71 Armenia 14.4% compare
More health data for China
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.15 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.0985 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 2,029 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4,642 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 50-54, male, annual growth rate -3.85 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, per capita 0.041 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, annual growth rate 1.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per capita 0.0414 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population ages 65 and above in China?
- Population ages 65 and above in China was 14.9% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest population ages 65 and above recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 14.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest population ages 65 and above recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.6% in 1966.
- How does China rank for population ages 65 and above?
- China ranks 68th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population ages 65 and above rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 48.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Population ages 65 and above (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Population ages 65 and above as a percentage of the total population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.